Chapter Text
“Alya,” Marinette whispered, gazing in delight at the boy in the front bench. He isn’t paying attention to the rest of the class, focused on his tablet. “Thank you, how did you pull this off?”
Alya blinks, partly in surprise, partly in confusion. “Pull what off?”
“This!” Marinette gestures quickly. “You got everyone in class to switch seats so that I could sit next to Adrien!”
Marinette knows her assumption is wrong the moment Alya and Nino’s faces turn uncomfortable.
“Euh…what that not what happened…?
“Sorry, girl.” Alya’s face turns sheepish. “Remember Lila? She’s coming back to class today. Madame Bustier arranged our seating chart to accommodate her hearing issue, and since you arrived late…we kinda made the arrangement without you.”
“…oh.” Marinette leans back, blushing a bit. “Oh.”
“Sorry,” Alya said again. “Really, girl.”
“No, no, it’s okay,” Marinette insisted, now she is feeling like a fool for jumping to conclusions. How could she have thought that Alya would arrange the whole class just so she could sit next to her crush? “So, where am I sitting now?”
“In the back.”
There is no one in the back, and the seats are a far cry from the sociable and interactive hub Marinette is used to being in. Alya senses her reluctance.
“Sorry, Marinette, I know it's unfair, but this was the best method everyone devised. We could all sit next to our friends, and – ahem, boyfriends now.”
Except for me.
But before Marinette can find a way to voice her discontent, in a way that doesn’t make her sound whiny (she did show up late), their teacher steps into the class along with a familiar brown-haired girl.
“Good morning, class!” Madame Bustier greeted, she gestures to the girl beside her. “As you all know, Lila has returned from her overseas trip and will be rejoining us for the rest of the semester!”
Everyone cheers, except for Chloé, who turns up her nose, and Adrien, who only addresses up a small, polite wave.
“Hey, guys!” Lila beams. “Wow, thank you all so much for the warm greetings, and – oh!”
She gasps, placing a hand to her mouth.
“You all remembered my hearing issue! A seat in the front row, thank you all so much!”
Marinette crosses her arms, there it is, the buttery, lamb-to-the-slaughter persona.
“You have a hearing issue, Lila?” she asked, not bothering to hide her flat tone. Alya looks surprised at her aggression. “I’ve never heard about it.”
“Yes, I was diagnosed very recently,” Lila said sadly, settling down in her seat. She gives Adrien a smile, which he returns. “Turns out, being around airplanes all my life had a detrimental effect on my hearing. It’s okay most of the time, but sometimes, ringing or tinnitus occur. My doctor recommends staying away from loud noises and staying at the front of classes, so there’s not a lot of pressure placed on my hearing. I gave a note to Monsieur Damoclès, and he approved all of my necessary arrangements.”
Alya looks up to Marinette, as if saying: See?
Marinette arms unfolds slightly in guilt. Hey, maybe Lila really does have a hearing problem, Marinette doesn’t know, but watching Lila talk brightly to Adrien is making her teeth clench.
“Marinette?” Madame Bustier asked. “Are you okay? You’re not taking your seat.”
Marinette flushes, she just realised she is the only person standing.
“I’m fine,” she muttered, turning away to walk up the stairs. She dumps her bag down in an angry heap. Tikki, in her canteen bag, peeks out in alarm. Everyone has turned back to their tablets and books, and Madame Bustier is setting up the blackboard for the morning lesson.
“Take out your textbooks,” she is saying. “Turn over to page 23.”
Marinette watches Lila laugh as she places a hand on Adrien’s shoulder, talking about something, what is it, what is she talking about? Marinette leans forward on her desk, if only she can read lips, then she can see what they’re talking about.
A flash of yellow catches her eye. Across the aisle from Lila and Adrien is Chloé, glaring at Lila with such hateful contempt and disgust it makes Marinette falter.
Oh my god, what is she doing?
Marinette leans back in her seat, slapping her cheeks slightly, feeling them flame under her hands.
“I’m fine,” she reassured Tikki, whispering quietly even as she flushes in shame. Is she really angry at Lila for talking to Adrien? She feels embarrassed remembering the bright anger she was consumed by just seconds ago. What was she thinking?
“Marinette,” Tikki hissed, the Kwami had been trying to gain their Holder’s attention desperately. “Akuma.”
Akuma? Marinette jerks in alarm, whipping her head in the direction Tikki is pointing at. Where?
Her gaze darts across the blue expanse of the bright Parisian sky, until she catches the fleeting wings of a poisonous purple Butterfly flapping away. Where is it heading? It is going in the opposite direction of her classroom window, almost like it is coming from within the school.
Marinette freezes when the realisation hits her. Was – Marinette the target? Is the Akuma leaving after Marinette regained control over her emotions?
She looks down at Tikki, searching for answers, desperately wanting to be proven wrong, but Tikki’s solemn gaze only confirms her worst fears. Oh gods, Marinette places her head in her hands.
She was almost Akumatised. Ladybug was almost Akumatised over her own jealousy.
Marinette needs to stay away from Lila, it is better for her health.
If she wants to avoid Lila, Marinette should’ve gone home for lunch. Today’s meal is veal and mushroom, cucumber and tomato salad, brie and bread, and an apple for dessert. Normally, veal and mushrooms would’ve have cheered her up after working through her morning classes, but today, Marinette just sulks throughout the entirety of the lunch line, watching Lila enter the cafeteria with Madame Buster’s class in toll.
“Please tell us more about your travels,” Rose begged. “They’re always so fun to hear about.”
“I’ll love too,” Lila replied graciously. “You guys tell me about school and Paris as well, why don’t we get some tables and eat lunch together?”
“Yes!” Sabrina cheered. Chloé had gone home, so she is left free to latch onto everyone’s favourite girl instead. “I’ll get the food!”
“I’ll get the tables,” Kim said loudly. “We can all eat together, it’ll be a feast!”
“Marinette?” Alya frowns at Marinette’s expression. “You okay? You look really mad.”
Alya follows Marinette’s gaze to the other side of the room. “Are you looking at Lila?”
“Yes,” Marinette said shortly. “I’m mad at Lila, she’s a liar.”
“Whoa – dude.” Nino looks surprised at her vehement. “That’s a little harsh, are you still angry about being moved back? I’m really sorry, but it was Madame Bustier’s decision, some of the other kids aren’t entirely happy either.”
“Not about that,” Marinette said. “It’s Lila I’m angry at, something just feels off about her.”
Alya blinks. “Like what? She’s so nice.”
Sabrina scuttles past them, holding multiple trays in her arms to set them all down on the table. Mylène and Max has helped to pull several chairs over to the conglomeration of tables Kim is arranging. A few kids from other classes watches them, looking over in curiosity at the large group gathering and the long-haired girl at the centre of everyone’s attention.
“Can I tell you guys something?” Marinette asked desperately. “Just – let me get this out before you guys talk to Lila again?”
Nino, who was making moves to join Lila’s table, hesitates at her request, and Alya beckons for him to follow her as she leads Marinette to an empty table, a few skips away from the coterie. Lila, who notices the small group of three, waves at them.
“Alya, Nino, Marinette, come join us!” she called cheerfully.
“We will!” Alya promised. “We just have some things to talk over first.”
“Oh.” Lila blinks. “Well, join us when you’re finished.”
Marinette sets her tray down heavily on the table Alya picked out. It is far enough from Lila that neither groups would hear each other clearly, but close enough that she could watch Lila interact with her classmates like a Queen entertaining her court.
“What did the fork do?” Nino asked jokingly when Marinette didn’t speak for several seconds.
Marinette relaxes her grip. “Sorry, it’s just – nerves.”
Alya spikes up a cluster of salad. “So, what did you want to talk about? Something about Lila?”
“Right.” Marinette rewinds her memories, trying to say this in a way that doesn’t make her seem mistrustful or envious. Her own role in the Lila mess is not exactly clean. “Do you – remember that one day Lila spent at our school last summer?”
“Yeah,” Nino said. “She had to leave with her mother afterwards for some ambassador thing.”
“During that time,” Marinette swallowed, this is going to be uncomfortable. “I saw her walk past my house with Adrien during lunch. I was curious why Adrien was spending lunch with Lila instead of his father’s mansion, so I…followed them.”
Marinette can’t bear to look up. Nino looks confused if a little concerned, but Alya has clearly managed to pick up on the subtext, pressing her lips together, making an unflattering expression, but it’s not too worrying yet, even if it does reach one end of the spectrum on Marinette’s panic/jealous behaviour.
“That wasn’t cool, Marinette,” Alya said. “Even if you were just–” A side-eye to clueless Nino. “–curious.”
“I know,” Marinette said, as resolutely as she can. “It was stupid of me to do it, a little – out-of-line, but the end-result is worth it!”
“What’s the end-result?” Nino asked, as Alya crosses her arms.
“They ended up at the Place des Vosges,” Marinette explained. “You know, the park near my house. I saw them sitting on a bench together, and Lila was saying something to Adrien, I couldn’t hear what it is, and then – all of a sudden, Ladybug showed up.”
Alya frowns. “What?”
“Why would Ladybug show up?” Nino followed.
“She was confronting Lila!” Marinette said. “I didn’t – I don’t have any proof, I was a little too surprised to remember to take a picture or something, but Ladybug was speaking loudly enough for me to hear. She was basically angry at Lila for lying and telling everyone she’s Ladybug’s best friend! She told Lila she’s placing herself in serious danger, and could’ve made herself and her family Le Papillon’s target. That’s when I knew that Lila is lying! It’s her big thing, she goes around and gain accords by saying she’s Ladybug’s best friend, just like how she’s friends with all these other celebrities and royalties. None of them have spoken up yet, but I’m willing to bet it’s all lies. It just seems true, because no one else have challenged her, so she’s free to lie as she wants!”
Alya places her chin on her hand, even Nino seems to be waiting for her to speak first.
“Marinette,” she finally said. “I love you, and I’m not going to say I don’t believe you, but you said it yourself. You don’t have proof.”
Marinette’s heart sinks.
“I do see the logic in what you’re saying,” Alya offered, as Nino nods. “You’re right, Lila has been talking a lot about all the famous friends she has, but none of them has – talked about her back. There really is…no one to challenge her words if she is lying about everything.”
“But she can’t be lying about everything,” Nino said. “That’s absurd. Her mother is an ambassador, she does travel a lot, maybe she just likes to – embellish her stories a little, just to make her seem cooler.”
Marinette bites her lip. Well, that was that. At least Alya and Nino didn’t throw her confession out of the window completely. But then her mind processes the entirety of Alya’s sentences, and she brightens up.
“Wait!” Marinette said. “Actually, I do have some proof! Adrien was there as well, he could tell you that – Ladybug did confront Lila. She’s lying about at least that!”
“Oh, I’m sure he will.” Alya slugs Marinette gently on the arm. “If he does confirm it, not that he wouldn’t,” Alya says hastily to Marinette’s glare. “Then – I guess Lila is lying about being Ladybug’s best friend. Huh…” And Alya sends a befuddled look over at Lila’s table, where the girl is cackling with Alix and Kim. “That means she – lied to my face, made me put lies on my blog.”
Nino winces.
“…still.” Alya’s face turns serious. “What do you propose we do when we do get the truth? Confront Lila? Tell her to stop lying? That’s difficult to do. And let’s not forget she is the new girl, maybe she was just trying to make friends. Getting righteous on someone never turns positive, let’s just – stay calm even when we do get the revelation. And maybe, er, lose the angry bull expression.”
Marinette reddens. “I wasn’t making an angry bull expression.”
“It was close enough,” Nino laughed. “I thought steam would start coming out of your nose.”
It is nearing the end of lunch, and Marinette is in the bathroom, washing her hands, when Lila walks in. At first, all that flares up is the instinctual panic about Tikki, gazing subtly at her reflection in the mirror to make sure no Ladybug evidence is sticking out in plain sight.
And then, when Marinette realises it is Lila, her anxiety drops to normal I-don’t-like-this-person levels.
“Hi, Marinette.” Lila waves. She doesn’t go to the stalls, only steps up to the sinks and begins washing her hands as well. There are seven other sinks available, and she chooses the one right next to her, Marinette gazes down at Lila’s orange nails in slight distaste. “How are you?”
“Good,” Marinette said mildly.
“Hey, I talked to Kim and Max, and, apparently, my seating arrangement moved you to the back of the class, when you sitting at the very front row before. I’m really sorry about that.”
Marinette sighs.
“It’s fine,” Marinette said tiredly. “Now that I’m moving away from my friends–” and crush. “–I might actually be able to focus on my lessons more.”
“No, it's not fine,” Lila insisted. “You had your seat for ages and some new girl just forced you out of it, you don’t have to pretend it doesn’t matter. I invited you over for lunch today because I wanted to make up for it, but you were talking with Alya and Nino for the entire time.”
“Oh.” Marinette is starting to feel guilty. Maybe Alya is right, and Lila really is just trying to make friends. She hasn’t lied at all since she got back (except for the hearing loss issue that Marinette is still unsure about, Lila had a medical note, didn’t she?), and Marinette is the one dead-set on destroying her target just because she got close to her crush. She really needs to get this jealousy under control. “Yeah, we had stuff to talk about.”
“The girls and I are planning a sleepover at Alya’s house on Friday,” Lila chattered. “It’s going to be epic; popcorn, movie night, gossip, the works! Except Chloé and Sabrina, they didn’t want to come. I don’t want to leave a bad impression with any of my new friends, so I would be honoured if you could be there too.”
Friends? Marinette laughs awkwardly. Lila is moving way too fast for her preferences, and getting invited to her best friend’s sleepover? How much time did Alya and Lila had to talk in the five minutes Marinette was spending at the bathroom?
“Sure…” She feels reluctant to turn down Lila’s hopeful eyes. “I’ll be there.”
“Perfect!” Lila claps her hands together. “We’re going to have such a fun night.”
Alya was talking with Lila, and then when Lila left to find Marinette in the bathroom, Nino’s girlfriend naturally gravitated towards the rest of the class, rapidly integrating herself into the conversation.
Nino, although he wants to join in, stayed on the outer circles for a bit. He has some thinking to do, about Marinette, Lila – and now Adrien. It isn’t in Marinette’s nature to lie, albeit she does have a habit of exaggerating. But most of that stems from a self-insecurity rather than an intent to be malicious, often making spilled milk into leaking factory disasters. She wouldn’t intentionally exaggerate facts about someone else to make them a villain – but neither has Lila been the cunning malefactor that Marinette painted. Nino hates to doubt his childhood friend, but he has difficulty deciding which half of the spectrum to fall over to. Then he realised – there is a tie-breaker involved in the situation. As Marinette pointed out, there is someone else available to bring either side to prominence.
Nino’s attention is caught by the cafeteria window. Outside, at the archway of the school entrance, Adrien is walking in, ten minutes before the bell, and well-composed as always.
Nino shoots Alya a look. She’ll be mad if Nino went off investigating on his own, but she looks busy and happy, and Nino wants to talk to Adrien by himself.
So, Nino leaves.
Adrien is setting up his tablet in the empty classroom when Nino arrives, pen held lazily in hand. He looks up at Nino’s approach.
“Hey, dude,” he greeted mildly.
“Hey,” Nino said. He takes his seat beside Adrien, a bit awkwardly. A few seconds passes where neither of them speaks, and Nino fidgets slightly with the cord of his headphones, trying to find out the best way to start.
Adrien picks up on his nervousness almost immediately, but to his credit, he stays silent and allows Nino to find his words.
“What do you think of Lila?” Nino finally asked.
“She’s nice,” Adrien replied, and that is it. Nino waits another few seconds for Adrien to say something else but he doesn’t.
“Don’t you think she tells amazing stories?” Nino nudged.
“Hmm?” Adrien’s chin tilts, but his eyes does not lift from his page of notes from their last history lesson. "Yes, they’re wonderful. I’ll adore the chance to travel as much as she does.”
Again, Nino waits.
“She’s done some pretty remarkable things, haven’t she?” There is a tinge of desperation to Nino’s voice now, and Adrien finally looks up from his tablet, eyes wary.
“Nino,” he said. “Just say what you want to say.”
Nino bites his lip.
“Is Lila a liar?”
“Are you talking about the Ladybug incident?” Adrien asked. “Yes, she lied, she’s not Ladybug’s best friend.”
There is a stunned silence and Adrien turns back to his tablet like nothing happened.
“H-hold on,” Nino spluttered. “Hold on a second, why are you acting like this isn’t a big deal?”
“Hmm?” Adrien looks up again, frowning. “I suppose it might be a shock, but I don’t see the reason to make a fuss.”
“A fuss?” Nino is flabbergasted. “Lila lied to everyone about knowing Ladybug, she even got Alya to post about it on her blog.”
Adrien looks confused.
“Yes?”
“Yes?” Nino gapes. “You – you really can’t see what the big deal is?”
Adrien turns his body towards Nino’s, twisting in his seat.
“I know that this means Lila broke your trust, and I know that Alya will suffer some criticism for her post. I don’t know what else is there.”
Nino can’t believe what he is hearing.
“What else is there – dude, you’re making this sound so light! Alya will be heartbroken to know that her blog got corrupted, everyone will be horrified to know they were tricked. I’m horrified for that matter, why are you so calm?”
Adrien blinks.
“About Lila? I don’t really care about her, her stories always seemed fantastical to me, and as for everyone else,” Adrien shrugs. “They chose to believe her. I’m not saying it’s their fault they were tricked, but it is their responsibility as to how they handled it. If Alya immediately jumped for the chance of a scoop without getting proof from Ladybug or even doing some research, then that’s her choice. I don’t really see why I should have a say in it.”
“You’re her friend,” Nino said. “You’re supposed to stop her from doing stupid things.”
Adrien looks genuinely perplexed. “I thought she knew what she was getting into.”
“Well, Alya didn’t.” Nino doesn’t know what he is feeling. Anger? Concern? Just plain discomfort at Adrien’s lacklustre reaction? “Dude, if we’re being scammed and we can’t see it, you need to tell us.”
Adrien looks thoughtful.
“All right,” he said. “I’m sorry if I seemed callous. I thought that everyone could handle someone like Lila, but it appears I was too dismissive. I’m sorry. Lila did lie about being friends with Ladybug. Actually, while we’re at it, Lila also lied about having an ancestor that’s a superhero, and she lied about owning a Miraculous.”
This is new information to Nino.
“And while we’re at that,” Adrien said. “How did you know about the Ladybug incident?”
“Me?” Nino is flustered. His mind hasn’t even fully processed the second-half of Adrien’s words. “Er, Marinette told me.”
“Marinette?” At that, Adrien is finally surprised. “I didn’t even know she was there.”
Yeah, she was following you.
“Look, dude,” Nino said before things can get off-topic. “That wasn’t cool, next time – if someone if lying to our faces, you need tell us. I’m kinda mad you knew and didn’t say anything, I feel kinda…worthless to know, like I don’t – mean anything to you, or I’m not worth protecting, or–“
“I’m going to stop you right there.” Adrien’s tone is mild but there is something about it that makes Nino look up. “I didn’t tell anyone about Lila not because I want to see everyone get hurt, but because I honestly did not care about her. I didn’t know that she has made such an impact, and I didn’t expect our classmates to be so concerned about a single person. I’m sorry, Nino, you made me realise I was wrong. And in the future, I swear I will step in and tell you if someone is deliberately lying to your face. Now, I’m going to tell you how you’re wrong, Nino.”
Adrien leans in close and Nino holds his breath.
“I will literally kill someone for you.”
Nino is sure his expression at that moment is very comical, but no one is laughing.
“Don’t insult me," Adrien said. "And don’t insult yourself by thinking you mean nothing to me.”
Adrien sits back like he hasn’t just delivered the most chilling threat Nino has ever heard. His mouth is dry, was Adrien joking? Was that his idea of a prank? He waits for Adrien to say: SIKE, or burst out laughing at Nino’s dumbfounded face, but when minutes passes and Adrien is still looking at his tablet (what is on there that is so fascinating?), Nino opens his mouth to speak up, to ask what the hell does that mean, when the door opens.
“Hi, Adrien.” Lila waves, smiling with Marinette at her side. Nino feels himself raise an eyebrow, what is going on there? “Ah, I see it’s only the four of us.”
Adrien stands up.
“One of us, actually,” he said charmingly. “Nino, I’m sorry to abandon you, but I would like to talk to you." He is indicating Lila. "Both of you, for a minute.”
Lila and Marinette look surprised, one of them pleasantly, and confused, while the other person’s face downgrades into mass panic.
Marinette shoots Nino an alarmed look, and Nino holds up in his hands in a ‘I didn’t do anything’ gesture.
Adrien has made his way down the stairs and towards the girls, Lila’s eyes glitters as he comes nearby, but ganders over Marinette with new calculation and uneasiness.
“Do you mind?” Adrien asked.
“Not at all,” Lila replied cheerfully, she loops her arm through Marinette’s, and drags the blushing, stuttering girl along. “Come on, Mari.”
Nino is never going to receive another free pastry from Marinette for as long as he lives. While Adrien leads the girls towards the locker room and Lila is chattering about something, Marinette tries to swallow her spit and racks her brain for something to say.
Adrien wants to talk to her! Alone! Granted, Lila is also here, but that still means a small private group of only three and he’ll be paying attention to her half the time! Anxiety settles quickly, what does Adrien want to talk about? Oh god, what did Nino tell him? Did they talk about the Ladybug incident? Did they have a bro-time talking about crazy girls and their mindless insecurities? Does Adrien think Marinette is a creepy stalker now! Is that why they’re going to talk? Is he going to lecture her!
Her heart can’t handle this.
Behind the group, the little wings of a purple Akuma beats close, no one notices, someone’s emotions are on the verge of tipping over.
Adrien turns to them in the empty locker room, the door sliding shut like the final tightening of a noose.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Lila’s bright voice is infuriatingly loud in its echoes. Is she not reading the mood? Is she not seeing the look on Adrien’s face? Marinette sneakily retracts her arm form Lila’s grip.
“Lila, I need you to tell everyone you lied,” Adrien sad shortly. “They need to know the truth.”
Lila’s smile turns hard.
“What lies?”
Adrien turns to Marinette. “Do you want to keep this up?” he asked.
Lila shoots around and Marinette almost takes a step back from the panic and fury in her gaze.
“No,” Marinette said. “I agree. Lila, lying about your travels is one thing, but lying about Ladybug will only put you in danger, and lying to our classmates will only gain you their resentment.”
Lila looks genuinely shocked.
“What are you talking about?” she whispered. “Marinette, what’s going on?”
Gods, that was so realistic Marinette had to falter, but looking at Adrien behind Lila hardens her resolve.
“I don’t know if I want to be your friend,” Marinette continued. “But I know that I’ll want nothing to do with you at all if you keep lying like this.”
Lila’s face went blank, cheek twitching a bit, the full force of her unnerving stare on Marinette, but Marinette holds her ground.
“You don’t think you own everyone an apology?” comes Adrien’s light voice.
Lila whips around.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” she snapped, and Marinette holds back a gasp of shock at the pure venom in her voice. “Why are you pandering that dumb, pretty-boy image, and then thinks you can turn around like this? Who the fuck do you think you are? You’re not a superhero, you’re a burned-out child model and a fucking idiot to think you can lecture me. And you.”
Lila turns towards Marinette and Marinette actually takes a step back from the rage and fury in her face, the ugly way anger contorts Lila’s smooth skin.
“You seem a little less dumb than all the others, so I’m giving you a choice," Lila spat. "Either you shut the hell up, or I’ll ensure that no one would want to even look at you by the time I’m done with you.”
Lila breezes out, brushing past Marinette like a slight of flame and slamming the door.
She leaves behind a silence, Marinette tries to regain some of her breath in that moment, anxiety and nerves prickling underneath her skin. That was a new side of Lila she hasn’t seen, even as Ladybug, Lila had been fearful and timid. But now – her anger seems to transform her into something else entirely. An ugly, jealous mess.
“Marinette.” Adrien touches her arm slightly, and Marinette snaps out of her haze. “You alright?”
“…yes.” Marinette bites her lips. “I’m fine.”
“Hmm.” Adrien stares at her closely, it was clearly a lie, but he doesn’t push. “Sorry for dragging you into that.”
“That’s okay,” Marinette said weakly. “I wouldn’t have had to courage to – confront her on my own.”
She is in the locker room alone with Adrien, and he is looking at Marinette like she is the most fascinating thing he has ever seen.
“I want to ask you something.”
“Y-yes?”
“You knew Lila was a liar because you saw Ladybug confront her, yes?”
Uh-oh. Marinette swallows. “That’s right.”
“How did you know to follow us?”
“W-well…” Marinette racks her brain for an answer that wouldn’t seem unsavoury. “I – had a bad feeling about Lila, especially after her Ladybug interview. It was clearly – deceitful.”
A pause.
“I see.” Adrien clearly doesn’t believe it, but he is willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. “How lucky for us.”
Us. Marinette brightens a bit. “Indeed.”
“Are you angry at me that I didn’t tell anyone the truth?” Adrien asked.
“What?” Marinette is surprised. “What bought this on?”
Adrien crosses his arms and leans against a pole of the benches.
“I had a talk with Nino,” he said. “And apparently Nino was upset with me because I didn’t tell anyone that Lila was lying. I didn’t even know he was angry, and I want to apologise to you if you feel like I was being selfish as well.”
“Selfish?” Marinette isn’t sure what to say. “You don’t have to take responsibility for Lila.”
“But are you upset that I didn’t discourage her lying?”
Marinette pauses. “Yes, a – bit, I – suppose.”
Adrien nods. “I’m sorry for that.”
Marinette is unsure of what to say. Everything has happened so quickly, being invited by Lila, confronting Lila with her crush, and now talking to Adrien so earnestly that she hasn’t even stuttered throughout the conversation. This is a bad time, but there is never going to be a good one. Marinette takes a deep breathe.
“Adrien.” The boy looks in her direction. “I–"
The door bursts open, Lila stands in the opening with both arms braced against the doorframe.
“Oh, thank god!” she breathed. “You’re both still here! Marinette, do you mind if I talk to Adrien alone for a bit?”
Marinette’s instinctual jealousy flares up in an ugly wave, but she smothers it down.
“I’ll be happy to leave,” she gritted out. “But you’ll have to ask the person himself if you want to talk.”
“It’s fine,” Adrien said, mild surprise coating his tone. Like Marinette, he clearly didn’t expect Lila to show up again, so quickly. “We’ll continue our conversation another time?”
It takes Marinette a second to realise he is talking to her.
“Of course,” she squeaked. Then blushes when she realises her pitched voice. “Of course, I’ll – see you later? Er, both of you?”
Lila smiles. “Sorry about this, Marinette, you go back to class first. It won’t take a while.”